Brush for dynamo-electric machines and method of attaching conductors thereto.



C. B. AUEL. BRUSH FOR DYNAMO ELECTRIC MACHINES AND METHOD OF ATTACHINGCONDUCTORS THERETO.

APPLICATION FILED SEPTJS, ISIZ.

Patented Dec. 26, 1916.

INVENTOH M ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CARL B. AUEL, OF WILKINSBUBG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR' TO WESTINGHOUSEELECTRIC AND MAN UFACTUBING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

' BRUSH FOR DYNAMO-EIJECTRIC MACHINES AND METHOD OF ATTACHING CONDUCTOBSTHEBETO.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented D 26 1916 Application filedSeptember 28, 1912. Serial No. 722,972.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL B. AUEL, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of W ilkinsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Brushes forDynamo-Electric Machines and Methods of Attaching Conductors Thereto, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to brushes for dynamo-electric machines and tomethods of attaching conductors thereto.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a device of theabove-indicated character having a flexible conductor or pigtailintimately secured to the brush member in such manner that aparticularly eflicient electrical contact is obtained between theconductonand the brush member, whereby losses of energy incident to highcontact resistance are obviated andundue heating 1S prevented.

Another object of my invention is to provide a simple and effectivemethod of securing flexible conductors to the brush memhere which may bereadily practised with considerable economy and which produces resultsheretofore unattained.

Another object of my invention is to connect the flexible conductor tothe brush member by means of a rivet or rivets of material like that ofthe conductor, said parts being fused or welded together to form aunitary member of homogeneous material of high electrical conductivity.

My invention may best be understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawing in which Figure 1 is a view, partially in sect on and partiallyin front elevation, of a device embodying my invention, the componentparts thereof being shown in their initial positions, Fig. 2 is a viewsimilar to Fig. 1 and embodying a modification of the device showntherein, and Fig. 3 is a plan view, partially in section, of the partsshown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a view, similar to Figs. 1 and 2, of acompleted device showing the positions of the various parts after theoperation has been completed, and Fig. 5 is a view, in side elevation,of the device shown in Fig. 2. Figs 6 and 7 are, respectively, viewssimilar to Figs. 1 and 5,

'5 and an adjustable resistor 6 or other wellknown means for effectingchanges in the circult conditions. The electrode 3 is adapted to pro ectthrough an opening 7 in a supporting bed-plate or table 8, preferably ofinsulating material, such as slate or the like, and the said electrode 3is secured in position by means of a bracket member 9. The upper end 10of the electrode 3 is disposed in the plane of the upper surface 11 ofthe supporting plate or table 8, for a purpose to be hereinafter setforth. The electrode 2 is secured to, and insulated from, an adjustablemember 12 which is supported in,position by means of a suitable bracket13. The member 12 is provided. with a plurality of teeth 14. which areadapted to co o'perate with the teeth of a pinion 14 that ismechanically associated with a hand-wheel 15 or other suitable device bymeans of which the electrode 2 may be raised or lowered in position.

Reference may now be had to Figs. 1, 4 and .5 in which a device is showncomprising a brush member 16 of carbon, graphite or other similarmaterial, a pair of rivets 17 v and 18, and a flexible conductor 19. Thebrush member 16 is provided with a lateral opening 20 which ispreferably located near the upper end thereof and embodies enlarged endrecesses 21. The rivets 17 and 18 are of like construction and arepreferably made of copper or other material of high electricalconductivity, although I do not wish to be restricted in this respect.Each of the rivets 17 and 18 is provided with an enlarged head 22 whichis'adapted to be disposed in the recesses 21, hereinbefore mentioned.The flexible conductor 19 preferably constitutes twisted or braidedcopper threads or strands, such as are commonly employed as pig-tailsfor brushes of this character, although other forms of conductors may beemployed.

agency of the hand wheel 15. rivets 17 and 18 and the conductor 19 areand 18 are severally disposed in the opposite ends of the opening 20after which one end of the conductor 19 is inserted longitudinally intothe central portion of the 0 ening 20 so that it is interposed between te adjacent flat ends 24 of the rivets 17 and 18, as shown clearly inFig. 1. Having assembled the component parts of the device in the mannerhereinbefore described, the device is placed upon the supporting bedplate 8 of the apparatus shown in Fig. 8 in such manner that the head 22of one of the rivets 18 rests upon the upper end 10 of the electrode 3after which the electrode 2 is brought into cooperative engagement withthe head 22 of the upper rivet 17 by means of the hand wheel 15 andrack-and-pinion connection already set forth. Assuming the parts in thepositions shown in Fig. 8, the desired amount of current is suppliedthereto from the generator 1 through the adjustable resistor 6, and, atthe same time, pressure is exerted upon the rivets 17 and 18 and theinterposed flexible conductor 19 through the Thus, the

electrically welded together through the application of heat andpressure in a wellknown manner. upper rivet 17 is forced downwardly intointimate engagement with the brush member 16 so that the head 22 thereofis pressed into the upper recess 21. It will also be understood that therivets 17 and 18 and the conductor 19 are fused together to form aunitary member of homogeneous material having high electricalconductivity, whereby the conductor 19 is intimately secured or attachedto the brush member 16 in such manner that comparatively no losses ofenergy result by reason of poor electrical conductivity or contact.

Although I consider the apparatus hereinbefore described as particularlyapplicable for the purposes intended, it is obvious that my invention isnot limited specifically to electric welding, as any other means ofsecuring the same result may be employed.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, the device shown is similar, in structureand arrangement of parts, to that already described and differs only inthat the adjacent ends 24: are

severally provided with notches or recesses 25 to receive the end of theflexible conductor 19, as is clearly shown in Fig. 3.

Referring now to Figs. 6 and 7, the brush member 16 is provided with anopening 20 having a countersunk recess 21 at one end During thisoperation, the

serted in the recess 21 and is wrapped around the projecting end 24 ofthe rivet 17 in intimate contact therewith. A disk 27 of suitablematerial, preferably like that of the rivet 17 is then disposed againstthe end 24: of said rivet, and the brush-16 with its associated parts isthen placed in position upon the welding apparatus alread shown anddescribed, and the disk 27, rivet 17 and conductor 19 are electricallyWelded or fused together, as will be readily understood.

' Although I have shown and described a structure embodying specificdetails and arrangement and location of parts, as well as having setforth a method embodying a specific series of operations, it is evidentthat many variations may be eflected in the resulting product and in themode of procedure without departing from the spirit and scope of myinvention, and I desire that only such limitations shall be imposed asare indicated in the appended claims.

ll claim as my invention:

1. A method of attaching a conductor to a dynamo-electric machine brushhaving an opening therethrough which consists in inserting metallicmembers into the opposite ends of said opening, interposing a portion ofsaid conductor between the adjacent ends of said metallic members, anduniting said parts by means of heat and pressure.

2. A method of attaching a conductor to a dynamo-electric machine brushhaving an opening therethrough which consists in inserting metallicmembers into the opposite ends of said opening, placing a portion ofsaid conductor in contact with at least one of said metallic members,and fusing said parts together to form a homogeneous mass of highelectrical conductivity.

3. A method of attaching a conductor to a dynamo-electric machine brushhaving an opening therethrough which consists in inserting metallicrivets into the opposite ends of said opening, placing a portion of saidconductor in contact with said rivets, and welding said parts togetherto form a unitary homogeneous structure.

4. A method of attaching a flexible copper conductor to a carbon brushhaving an opening therethrough, which consists in inserting copperrivets into the opposite ends of said opening in abutting relation,interposing a portion of said flexible conductor between the adjacentends of said rivets, and welding said parts together by the applicationof heat and pressure to form a homogeneous mass of high electricalconductivity.

5. A brush for dynamo-electric machines comprising a main body memberhaving a lateral opening therethrough, metallic rivets of goodconducting material respectively having an enlarged portion inengagement the opposite ends of one of said openings;

inserting a portion of said conductor into the other opening and intoengagement with the grooved ends of said metallic members, andintimately unitin said parts by the application of heat and pressure toform a homogeneous mass of high electrical conductivity.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 21st dayof Sept., 1912.

CARL B. AUEL.

Witnesses:

A. B. KAIGHIN, B. B. HINES.

